Joey & The Tag

[Ghost Like]

I believe how Montagna and Lyon deal with the hard tags, that are certainly on their way, is going to be one of the many challenges ahead of the Saints for the remainder of 2009.

Joey in full flight and unchecked is amazing and a driving force for our side, unfortunately when he's shown these qualities in the past opposition clubs have sort to shut him down and have been reasonably successful.

I believe it will be handled better this year because we have more of our mids up and in good form, meaning Joey may only be tagged for a quarter or two before the stopper has to shut one of the others down.

Joey's fitness and strength also seems to have improved, witness his tackles and his willingness to get inside the contest. I'm impressed by his balance, rarely do we see him falling over and putting himself out of the contest. A quality that makes Ablett, Kerr and Judd the great players.

Our midfield also appear to have the learnt the skill of protecting and releasing each other from a tagger, Dal has already benefitted from this ability.

Lyon's willingness to move his mids through other positions has also paid dividends, no longer is the only answer to breaking a tag the one which involves a bench rotation.

If Joey is copping a heavy tag, his value to the team will be just as vital in a forward pocket, chasing, tackling and crumbing such is his improvement in his defensive capabilities.

Looking forward to seeing how Lyon and Joey cope with a 'shut down' plan that is surely on it's way from many an opposition club.

[fingers]

You can't tag everyone though. If they tag Joey - Dal runs. If they tag Dal - Joey runs. If they tag both BJ runs....and they lose 2 players.

[Saints94]

Our forward pressure has been brilliant so far this year, moving Joey up forward will be a masterstroke of a move from Ross, just like BJ moving up forward, Joey will apply huge pressure on the oppostion, thats why the roos are also succesfull keeping the ball inside there 50 because of Thomas and Campbell thats why i would like X to come in for Mini to add to the pressure that we already have.

[Ghost Like]

You can't tag everyone though. If they tag Joey - Dal runs. If they tag Dal - Joey runs. If they tag both BJ runs....and they lose 2 players.

I understand and appreciate that fingers, this is more about the progression and improvement of Joey to take the next step to an elite mid. I love it that we have so much qulaity in there that they can't all be tagged and as long as they are all in form then one or two being tagged should have too much of an adverse effect.

[bungiton]

It's a good point and shows why players like Kirk are such quality taggers. They play a shut down role on a player but their primary role is to hurt the player with attack as well instead of just playing a negating role.
Take Jones v Kerr as an example, Jones was wearing him like a glove but took advantage of every opportunity to run forward and be productive himself.

Having players from the opposition side trying to simply negate a player who will run all day really suits our style of game I'd reckon

[Saints94]

It's a good point and shows why players like Kirk are such quality taggers. They play a shut down role on a player but their primary role is to hurt the player with attack as well instead of just playing a negating role.
Take Jones v Kerr as an example, Jones was wearing him like a glove but took advantage of every opportunity to run forward and be productive himself.

Having players from the opposition side trying to simply negate a player who will run all day really suits our style of game I'd reckon

Lingy the best example i reckon Bungiton.

[matrix]

good OP
i think with tags the player being tagged needs a little help.
obviously around the ground in play this becomes hard, but at stoppages our other centre players that rotate thru like gram bj and jonesy, as well as regs like bally and lenny have to help him out by blocking.
ling from the cats does this really well.
every now and then he just blocks the path of ablett or selwoods opponent allowing them to get a few paces on there tag.
he reads the play well, and judges when to do it very well.
of course ablett and selwood are machines and run all day....but its the work at stoppages allowing them to get a small advantage thats great.

with us having two good rucks like gards and kingy who are going to win a lot of taps (maybe not this week as sandilands is a giant) its time for the other mids to start watching when and when not to do this.
we all know that if joey gets on the run he'll get the cherry and use it (and with dal if he gets free he'll just turn players inside out and hit someones extended hands from 30 meters)
sometimes its not about getting the footy and about helping ya team mates in a better possie have more of a chance of getting it and who u know will use it effectively 98% of the time.
<<just some thoughts

[Marcus1232]

As much as i hate to say it kane cornes isnt bad at it either

[matrix]

cant argue with that...and he still manages to get over 20 odd touches every week.
little bastard.....
good player tho.

[ausfatcat]

Don't forget Hayes, no team can tag hayes, goddard, dal and joey

Good examples of players that can tag and still get posessions as well

Ling
Kirk
K Cornes
Sewell

Can't think of too many others thats four for the league on four different teams.

[Unforgiven]

You can't tag everyone though. If they tag Joey - Dal runs. If they tag Dal - Joey runs. If they tag both BJ runs....and they lose 2 players.

Spot on, that why our players, and imo Dal seem to be dealing with tags better thus far. When the whole midfield group is up and about you can't just stop one of them.

While Ball will never get tagged he certainly is a very good player in the midfield group, but its the damaging players like Dal, Goddard, Montagna and even Hayes that are the first targets of tags/run with players.

[matrix]

yup.
its great having lenny dal joey and bj as well as a tough nut like bally with his head over it in the centre.
u 'might' be able to 'try' to shut down two of them but thats a TALL order.
i honestly think that those guys can be as good as the geelong mids...and are not very far off it either.

[saintsRrising]

When everyone is working hard....it is easier for those who are copping a tag to overcome it.

With a deep midfield (based on present form)....tags are also less effective as we have more alternatives to exploit.

Having two in-form ruckman who know how to use their bodies assists too.

CJ wasa great tagger for us last week...for not only did he tackle and restrict Kerr at every opportunity...he also run off him as well to provide great drive for us.

[Marcus1232]

Luke ball is as tough as they come in the guts. Doesnt he have the record for most blood rules in a season or something got his nose broken like 3-4 weeks in a row

[fingers]

You can't tag everyone though. If they tag Joey - Dal runs. If they tag Dal - Joey runs. If they tag both BJ runs....and they lose 2 players.

I understand and appreciate that fingers, this is more about the progression and improvement of Joey to take the next step to an elite mid. I love it that we have so much qulaity in there that they can't all be tagged and as long as they are all in form then one or two being tagged should have too much of an adverse effect.

My mistake - good points you raise either way. I think the comment about Ling being a great tagger and at the same time hurting the other team offensively is the next step for Joey.

At the same time the midfield working as a team within a team as it has been over the last 3 weeks will help immensely. CJ did a good job on Kerr - but if Kerr had more support it would have been a lot more damaging to us.

[Solar]

I believe that his time as a tagger last year has helpd fine tune joey's game. Seems to tackle harder, work physically off his opposition better. As has already been mentioned it helps when your other mids are all working very hard.